We read with great interest the statement by the
PLP government yesterday that the filing for Bankruptcy by Bahamar was
unexpected…a surprise to the Government of the Bahamas. If the PLP government is truthful in this
statement, it begs the question why was the government not aware? From all
recent reports by this government, there was constant communication with the
Prime Minister and Izmirilian and the Chinese. Indeed this government touted
for the past three years that Bahamar was going to be the saviour of our
economy and, hence, one would have believed that this government would have
been intimately involved in every aspect of Bahamar’s development. At least
this is what a sensible government would have done, knowing the ramifications
if the project failed. Certainly with all the so-called governmental experience
of our good Prime Minister this should have been a foregone conclusion.
This statement of the PLP government, not having
any knowledge of Bahamar’s filing for Bankruptcy is reminiscent of the claim
made by the Prime Minister and the PLP government a few months back that they
were not aware of the signing of the six hundred and fifty million dollar
Letter of Intent by Mr. Renward Wells, the then Parliamentary Secretary in the
Ministry of Works. It truly begs the question, if the
statement is correct, does this PLP government truly have a handle on what is
going on in this country. Can they be trusted to continue with the governance
of the Bahamian people’s affairs? Or is the PLP government lost, as the day is
long?
If the government’s statement is correct, can it
then be said that Izmirilian was not open/truthful with the Government of the
Bahamas and by extension the Bahamian people? We do recall the Prime Minister
stating two weeks ago that he had a meeting with Izmirilian after his returned
from China and that he had good news. Another Minister in the PLP government
announced last week that Bahamar would be open in November 2015 and that all is
well. In this regard has the government since their supposedly recent knowledge
approached Izmirilian and asked the question why was the Prime Minister and the
Government of the Bahamas not informed of his intention to file for Bankruptcy?
Perhaps Izmirilian can shed some light on whether the government was indeed
aware of Bahamar’s actions/intentions. We in the Democratic National Alliance,
on behalf of the Bahamian people, and in particular the two thousand persons
who have lost their jobs, the Bahamian investors in the project and the
Bahamian construction companies that have not been paid, would like to have an
answer to this question.
Branville
McCartney
DNA
Leader